Ironing table having folding supports



July 8, 1947. c. TONN 2,423,628

IRONING TABLE HAVING FOLDING SUPPORTS I Filed June 8, 1945 O I O 20% i/ v 13 o T A I 20 y L F f v 7 11 f g 2/? 4 i\\\\\\\\ Z\\\\\\\\ $2 15 zi A! Aifirkzeys Patented July 8, 1947 u IIRONIN'G-TABLE H vDIG FoIiDIN'G SUPPORTS *Ghrist Tenn, lvlinneapolis; Minn, l assigriorto H.

Keller Manufacturing 00.,

- Minneapolis,

Mimi a corporation of Minneso'ta ."ApplicationJuneB, 1945; Seria1 No. 598,282

7 Claims.

'This invention relates to ironing tables. The present "invention shows an arrangement wherein alcckingbrace" extends" across a portion of the front 'l'eg'unitwhen'the table is Collapsed.

'By'so' arranging the structure it" i 'possiblet'o open the table from its'collapsed position by pressure exerted on the "front leg, such pressure being transmitted through the locking brace to the rear leg-assembly and therebygreatly "facilitating the setting up of the table.

*In' the present invention it isan object to providea io'ckingbrace arrangement wherein said brace-extends not only across the "front leg unit but also across the front/leg brace WhiCh'iS connected betweenthe front and rear'le'gs, thereby producing an evensmoother acting" movement of 'the'legs and braces when the'table is's'et up.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the locking braceacrossthe front leg andfront leg brace as described above-and to'connect "the locking-bra'ce and front'leg 'brace to the rear le's unit at spaced points so that -the opening force derived from pressure on-thefrontle unitjwill be transmitted to the rear leg unitin more-than one pointtherbyfacilitating the-opening action and also producing a more rigid and sta-bleconstructicn.

' Another object of the-invention isto providean irnproved *mounting plate by -means of which the log units are 'pivotally connected with the top andalso to provide an advantageous latching and settingmeans 'fortheendsfof the locking dorace "when-the'tableis' setup'foruse.

operative position;

{Figure "4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view-through the-locking-brace catch;

Figure :5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the rear leg mounting plate.

In the drawings there is shown a front leg unit l having a pair of arms which diverge upwardly '2 and rearwardly whoseupper ends are pivotally 'connecte'dto lugs'or ears '8 which are struck from a front legmounting 'plate" 9 extending across the underside of the tabletop Hland secured to said table top by suitable means such as'rivets I I;

Rear'legs R2 are pivotally'connected to lugs l3 which are struck froma rearleg mountingplat'e M secured to the underside of the top ID by rivets 15. Rear leg brac'esl 6 have th'eir lower ends con- 'nected-to the rear legs l2; as shown, at IT, and the upper ends of braces 16 are pivotall'y connected to lugs 18 struck from the rear leg mounting plate-IE.

A-front leg brace is made up of a'pair of upwardly and rearwardly divergent :arms l9, said front leg brace being connected to the lower'end of the 'front leg unit I, asshown in Figures 1 through 3, and the rear ends'o'f the front "end brace unit 19 are pivotally connected to the rear "legs [2 assh'ow'n an.

A locking brace unit 2! has downwardly and "rearwardl'y divergent arm which are pivotally connected to'th'erear legs l2 at points22, which are considerably loweron the rear legs I? than 'the pivotpoints of the front leg brace 19.

The-"upper forwarclportion 'of the'locking brace "25 lies beneath a gu'ide '23'whichexten'ds'a Substantial distance along'the underside of'the'table top "Ill'and which'permits the'forward end of the locking brace -21 to describe limited sliding'inovement relative to thetopl 9.

Mounted on therear portion of the guide 23 is a locking brace catch 24 which has a pivot pin 25, the latter being secured to the-guide 23 by a clip 26 which in "turn is secured t'o "said guide 23 bya rivet 21. s leaf'springzs has one end "Secured to the'gufde 23 by a rivet 29 and the *other end bf said spring 28 bears against the catch member -24 normally urging it up against the front leg ftll'oll'l'itirlg plate 9 releasably Secure "the locking brace 2-: in the manner best shown in Figure '4. 'The catch It is convenienu' released by a lever 30 which is pivotally mount; ed on a small bracket 3! on the underside of the top, between the front leg mounting plate 9 "and the rear le'gmounting plate 14. The lever =3fl,as shown in Figure 2, is in'the formof an elongated loop throughout approximately its rear half, and this looped portion of the lever 30 extends between and beneath a pair of lugs 32 which are struck from the rear leg mounting plate hi adjacent the central portion thereof. Lugs 32 serve as a guide and movement limiting means for the catch release lever 38.

From the foregoing description it is believed has its arms converging forwardl from the pivot point 22 on the rear legs and that the two arms of the locking brace 2i overlie the adjacent arms of the front leg 3 and front leg brace [9. As a result, when the front leg is grasped and pulled. outwardly from the underside of the'table top, pressure is exerted against the locking brace and transmitted therethrough to the rear legs/ At the same time force is exerted directly by the front leg brace 59 to the rear legs 12. This close association and contact between adjacent portions of the legs and braces makes the structure one which is extremely easy to open Without forcing or bending any of the leg and bracing structure such as so frequently occurs in ironing table constructions.

As the legs and braces swing to their set up position the front leg brace i9 straddles the locking brace 22! remaining in contact therewith. The normal resilience of the middle bars which make up the front leg bar l9 and locking brace 2i thereby produce a gripping action which considerably strengthens and aids rigidity to the table assembly but at the same time permitting the members 19 and El to slide freely relative to each other when the table is collapsed and set up.

Attention is also called to the spaced location of the pivots Ziiand 2?. for the leg brace 19 and locking brace 2i respectively. The spacing of said pivots 29 and 22 permits the application of opening force at different points on the rear legs i2 to facilitate opening movement and prevent strain on the pivots and, of course, it creates a more rigid table construction.

The particular leg mounting plates and the locking brace catch mechanism are simple yet highly emcient structures which add to the general advantages of the table.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the various parts without departing from. the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1.. In an ironing table, a top assembly, a front leg unit movably connected to said top assembly, a rear leg unit movably connected to said top assembly, a front leg brace movably connected to said front leg unit below the upper end thereof and also movably connected to said rear leg unit below its upper end, and a locking brace having an end movably connected to the under side of said top assembly for movement longitudinally of said top assembly and parallel thereto and extending downwardly and rearwardly and being movably connected to said rear leg unit a substantial distance below the connection of said front leg brace and said rear leg unit. e

2. The structure in claim 1, and said leg units,

. overlying said front leg unit in the collapsed posifront leg brace and locking brace being collapsible toward the underside of said top assembly, and when collapsed, a portion of said locking brace per se lying at an angle to and crossin and overlying said front leg unit.

3. The structure in claim 1, and said front and rear leg units, said front leg brace,and said locking brace being collapsible toward the underside of said top assembly, and when collapsed, a portion of said locking brace per se crossing and overlying saidfront leg unit and said front leg brace at an angle thereto.

4. In an ironing table, a top assembly, a front leg unit pivotally connected to said top assembly, a rear leg unit pivotally connected to said top assembly, a front leg brace movably connected to said front leg unit below the upper end thereof and also movably connected to said rear leg unit, a locking brace movably connected to the underside of said top assembly and extending downwardly and rearwardly and being movably connected to said rear leg unit, said front and rear leg units, front leg brace and locking brace being collapsible from the underside of said top assembly, and when so collapsed, a portion of said looking brace per'se lying at an angle to and crossing and overlying said front leg unit and said front leg brace.

5. In an ironing table, a top assembly, a front leg unit pivotally connected to said top assembly, a rear leg unit pivotally connected to said top assembly, a front leg brace movably connected to saidfront leg unit below the upper end thereof and movably connected to said rear leg unit, a locking brace having an end movably connected to the underside of said top assembly and extending downwardly and rearwardly and movably connected to said rear leg unit, said leg units and braces being shiftable toward and away from said top assembly to collapsed and set-up positions, and said locking brace and said front leg brace having portions contacting each other in their set-up position, and said locking brace having a portion thereof crossing and overlying said front leg brace in the collapsed positions of said braces.

6. The structure in claim 5, and said locking brace crossing and overlying said front leg brace through the initial movement of said braces from their collapsed positions to their set-up positions.

7. The structure-in claim 5, and said locking brace having a portion thereof also crossing and tions of said front leg unit and locking brace.

' CHRIST TONN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED V STATES PATENTS Johannsen Sept. 3, 1940 

